§ 68. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Home Secretary whether he has any statement to make concerning cases in which British employés in the service of German firms in London are being dismissed in consequence of instructions received by such firms by the German Government that they are not to employ persons of the Jewish faith after 25th December, 1938?
§ Sir S. HoareI am aware that allegations have been made that the services of persons have been terminated by German firms on racial grounds, but I have no knowledge of any instructions having been issued by the German Government of the kind mentioned. I can only give the hon. and gallant Member the assurance that permission would not be given to the importation by a firm in this country of any foreigner to fill a post which could be filled by a person resident in this country possessing the necessary qualifications.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have two fully authenticated cases of such dis- 2176 missals, and that one is the case of a man who, having been for 17 years in the employment of a firm, was discharged and was told by the manager that his discharge was on account of his faith only?
§ Sir S. HoareIf the hon. and gallant Member will send me particulars of these cases, I will look into them. In any case, I assure him that I would not allow an immigrant to come into this country to take the place of a man who had been dismissed in those circumstances.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherHas the right hon. Gentleman no powers to compel German firms enjoying our hospitality and the protection of our laws, and carrying on lucrative businesses here, to conform to the civilised standards of racial and religious toleration which prevail in this country?
§ Sir S. HoareNo, Sir, I have no statutory powers of the kind to which the hon. and gallant Member refers, but I have shown in the answer which I have just given, how much I should deprecate any action of that kind.